Sake & The Incredible Power of Koji

A masterclass presented by the UK Bartenders Guild

7th March 2021

A live masterclass was held on Zoom by industry leaders exploring one of the fundamentals of Japanese beverage culture. The event was sponsored by the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association (JSS), commissioned by Miho Komatsu and the UK Bartenders Guild http://ukbartendersguild.co.uk, and attended by over 200 members of UKBG. This was the first session of their Kokushu Japanese alcoholic beverages project, and focused on the Koji, the magical power behind sake, its cultivation and how different strains create different taste and aroma profiles in Sake.

The five speakers were: Rie Yoshitake, the leading sake promoters overseas; Marie Cheong-Thong, the wine, sake and shochu educator; Akemi Yokoyama, Koji Educator, chef and instructor; Miho Komatsu, sake educator and marketing director and Jun Ogawa, shochu and Awamori specialist and educator. This meticulously organized, most enriching and detailed seminar was well appreciated by the trade specialists who are keen to learn about sake for their profession.

The UK Bartenders Guild, founded in 1934, is one of the oldest surviving British trade guilds that represents the interests and welfare of bar workers in the UK.  UKBG will be holding more sake and Shochu events in the future. If you are interested, please visit their website.